Parlay: Delaware St Hornets VS Saint Joseph's Hawks 2025-12-18

Charlotte Hornets vs. Atlanta Hawks: A Same-Game Parlay Masterclass
Where LaMelo Ball dances on a tightrope and Trae Young returns from a G League "retreat" to juggle expectations.

Parsing the Odds: A Tale of Two Traes and a LaMelo
The Atlanta Hawks (15-12) enter as 5.5-point favorites, with an implied win probability of 68.8% (based on -420 moneyline odds). The Hornets (8-18), meanwhile, are a mere 35.2% to pull off an upset. These numbers scream "chalk," but let’s dig deeper:
- Hawks’ ATS Performance: 14-13 against the spread this season, but a solid 4-2 ATS in their last six games.
- Hornets’ Underdog Magic: 7-6 ATS as underdogs of 5.5 points or more, including a recent overtime shutout of the Cleveland Cavaliers (yes, they held Cleveland scoreless in OT—imagine that!).
- Offensive Contrasts: Atlanta averages 118.3 PPG (232.6 combined with their opponents), while Charlotte’s 110.1 PPG makes them the NBA’s version of a slow-burn thriller. The over/under is set at 237.5, 4.7 points above the combined average of these teams.

Key Stat: The Hawks have gone over the total in 12 of 27 games this season. Charlotte? A modest 9-of-26. If you’re betting the Over, you’re betting on Atlanta’s offense and Charlotte’s porous defense (they allow 119.4 PPG).

Digesting the News: Injuries, Comebacks, and a G League Spa Day
- LaMelo Ball (Hornets): Questionable with a “mysterious hamstring tightness” (read: probably tripped over his own shoelaces in practice). Coach Charles Lee calls him “likely to play,” which in NBA speak means: We’ll see if he can walk by game time.
- Trae Young (Hawks): Also questionable after a “G League practice stint” that sounds less like training and more like a midseason spa retreat. His return could be the NBA’s version of a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat—or a raccoon if things go poorly.
- Charlotte’s Recent Overtime Heroics: The Hornets’ 112-109 OT win over Cleveland was a defensive clinic… until the fourth quarter, where they shot 28% from the field. Their “defense” is a leaky faucet that only works in spurts.

Humorous Spin: Circus Imagery and Basketball Metaphors
- LaMelo Ball: If he plays, he’ll be the NBA’s version of a tightrope walker—graceful when it works, terrifying when it doesn’t.
- Trae Young’s G League “Practice”: Let’s be real, Trae spent more time perfecting his G League Instagram aesthetic than his pick-and-roll.
- Charlotte’s Offense: Their attack is like a toaster in a bakery—present, but only useful for burning baguettes.
- Atlanta’s Defense: They’re not a wall; they’re a suggestion. A very sweaty, overconfident suggestion.

The Same-Game Parlay: Hawks to Cover + Over 237.5
Why This Combo?
1. Hawks -5.5: Despite Trae’s questionable status, Atlanta’s depth (Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s 4 30-point games in a month) and Charlotte’s offensive struggles make this line digestible. The Hawks’ implied probability (68.8%) is higher than their ATS record suggests.
2. Over 237.5: With Charlotte’s defense (porous) and Atlanta’s offense (functional), this total is a freebie. The Over has implied odds of ~52.3% (based on -110 lines), which, when combined with Hawks -5.5, creates a parlay with ~35% implied probability (odds of ~2.86).

Potential Payout: If you bet $100 on this parlay, you’d get ~$286—assuming the Hawks win by 6+ and the game eclipses 238 points. It’s a high-risk, high-reward play, like eating a double-chocolate fudge brownie while riding a rollercoaster.

Prediction: Hawks Win, 122-113
Atlanta’s depth and Charlotte’s offensive inconsistency will decide this game. Even if Trae and LaMelo both sit, the Hawks’ bench (hello, Dejounte Murray) is deeper than the Hornets’ entire roster.

Final Verdict: Take the Hawks -5.5 and the Over. If you’re feeling spicy, throw in a prop bet that LaMelo Ball will attempt more three-pointers than Trae Young. It’s a surefire way to lose money, but hey, life’s a gamble.

“The Hawks are the circus; the Hornets are the guy selling cotton candy that’s just dyed water. Bet on the acrobats, not the frauds.” 🦅🔥

Created: Dec. 18, 2025, 7:55 p.m. GMT

Parlay: Delaware St Hornets VS Saint Joseph's Hawks 2025-12-18

Prediction: Hawks Win, 122-113 Atlanta’s depth and Charlotte’s offensive inconsistency will decide this game. Even if Trae and LaMelo both sit, the Hawks’ bench (hello, Dejounte Murray) is deeper than the Hornets’ entire roster.

Prediction: Hawks Win, 122-113
Atlanta’s depth and Charlotte’s offensive inconsistency will decide this game. Even if Trae and LaMelo both sit, the Hawks’ bench (hello, Dejounte Murray) is deeper than the Hornets’ entire roster.